Age-specific issues. language, spaces, technologies

This volume is a collection of studies dealing with age or, rather, ages, mainly from a linguistic viewpoint, but also accommodating inputs from other disciplinary perspectives. It focuses on the linguistic, social, economic and ethical aspects of social groups defined in terms of age - which clearly includes seniors but is, of course, not limited to that. In a global setting where spaces are constantly being redefined, new technologies and phenomena like the COVID-19 pandemic exert a substantial influence on how ages are perceived, seen and constructed. Within such a complex and multi-layered context, the chapters of this book provide attempts at showcasing realities connected with language, ages and, in general, the discourses surrounding them. © Peter Lang Group AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2023.

Stereotypes of ageing in intergenerational talk and in media representations

Ageism is a manifestation of negative attitudes about and towards ageing. As stereotypes and ageism significantly influence our orientation to ageing, older age and older people, this chapter will examine some commonly held stereotypes of older adults and discuss how they might be constructed, reflected and reinforced in intergenerational communication and in some media representations. We will start by looking at the nature of common stereotypes of ageing and older adults, followed by how stereotypes might be activated in intergenerational talk and how this has been theoretically modelled, for example by Communication Accommodation Theory. We will then review some recent work on stereotypes of ageing in media contexts to illustrate some common trends. Two case studies from UK media, namely magazine advertising depictions of older adults and news reports during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic are presented. These serve to problematize overly 'positive' representations, on the one hand, and dichotomous vulnerable/exceptional representations, on the other hand. Lastly, we will link stereotyping with ageism in society. © Peter Lang Group AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2023. All rights reserved.

Ageing and the media: International perspectives

Media representations of ageing play a role in stereotype formation and even reinforce them. Encountering these stereotypes can negatively impact the self-esteem, health status, physical wellbeing and cognitive performance of older people. This international collection examines different dimensions of ageing and ageism in a range of media. Chapters include explorations of the UK media during the COVID-19 pandemic;age, gender and mental health in Ghana;advertising in Brazil;magazines in Canada;Taiwanese newspapers;comics, graphic novels and more. Bringing together leading scholars, this book critically considers differences in media portrayals and how older adults use and interact with the media. © Bristol University Press 2022. All rights reserved.